Other Managing PTSD within current political climate

[Rose White]

@zaniara thank you so much for your perspective. I had no idea it was like that in Sweden. In USA we have this kind of fairy tale perspective that Scandinavia is utopia land of milk and honey everyone happy and cared for. More I think about I wonder if it’s possible to “escape” any of these current political realities.

 

[zaniara]

@zaniara thank you so much for your perspective. I had no idea it was like that in Sweden. In USA we have this kind of fairy tale perspective that Scandinavia is utopia land of milk and honey everyone happy and cared for. More I think about I wonder if it’s possible to “escape” any of these current political realities.

There are still a lot of good things about Sweden, it's only moving in bad direction. (And the gangs are a problem.) For example our health care system is still pretty cheap and for everyone. (But the rich are buying their way ahead of the waiting lists and buy their own treatments and have private doctors doing much more than the public system.) And we have free press, free school (with school lunch) and there is still social security, but the new government is talking about making it harder to get and lowering the amount you could get (and it's not follow the inflation at all), so it's getting rougher. The inflation is plaguing a LOT of countries and the right-wing parties are gaining power all over Europe.

I think the situation with high living costs (but the "luxury items"; like tv's etc not rising much in price but being pretty affordable now) and high numbers of unemployment and high rents are almost the same all over (USA, Canada, UK etc.). If richer are getting richer, the poor will get poor. But now even the middle class is getting poorer (you wouldn't believe it if you saw them, since they still have good cars and nice houses: but they are so heavily in debt!). This is new. And strange; because if the middle class can't afford to buy stuff the whole system of capitalism stops working.

I don't think there is anywhere in the world that is "safe" or possible to escape to, but some countries are worse off than others. Me my self I think about how to fight it all, and be a part of the good change. To stay and fight. I'm not sure how I would feel about that if I lived in USA; but I pray a lot of Americans DO fight for your freedom, for you and for us all. (USA leaving the human rights council is really, really bad!)

 

[RainbowSearchParty]

This thread has gone a little off-topic, sorry @Muttly.

I just want to say, as my final little word here, that I think there is a bit of a knee-jerk reaction in the States sometimes (not saying that this applies to anyone here) that if things get bad politically we have the right to move wherever we want. But that's not how other countries see it (and is a little American-centric, actually) and it's really hard to move abroad, and immigrant life is super exhausting. Something to consider.

Also, I'm nonbinary. The country I'm in has better policies on paper than the US to protect my nonbinary status, but my experience on the ground has actually been that it is easier to be trans in the US. It's a bit shocking, actually. But true. So just make sure that you do your research, inside and out, to make certain that you are headed to a better place, if that's what you want.

 

[Sideways]

Mod Note:
All posters - please remember what this post is actually about. Post about the topic, or start a new thread.

 

[Freida]

If you (or anyone else of you all) come to Sweden you are welcome if you need a bed or want to get a guided tour.

That would be awesome!!!!!

 

[zaniara]

Mod Note:
All posters - please remember what this post is actually about. Post about the topic, or start a new thread.

I'm sorry, I realize didn't read enough and misunderstood and went off topic. Really sorry.

 

[Rose White]

The tariff thing is messing with me. Cost of living already so high. I think the feeling of hopelessness about America will eventually numb out the same way that hunger numbs out if I ignore it long enough and sleep. Distract distract numb numb—old coping mechanisms that will be applied to coping with USA political climate.

@RainbowSearchParty and @zaniara very much appreciating your perspectives and they feel relevant to the topic because OP is trying to get their passport to leave the country and lots of us wonder if we can too—escape fantasies to deal with the political climate. And your perspectives help us to face the realities behind the fantasies.

 

[Rose White]

Today the thing about cutting foreign aid is weighing heavily. Also the Muslim ban. All those afghani refugees who were already slated to escape. It’s hard to know how we will cope as everything piles up.

Also the lifting the ban on releasing polluted water into the ocean. And the stopping monitoring air pollution at U.S. embassies.

Just a world for a few I guess… that seems to be the endgame.

 

[Muttly]

Just to clarify, I am not planning to move to another country. I want to have the option, though. I don't like feeling trapped.

Also, we've been invited on a trip in May. We might have our expenses paid by our friends. (We can't afford it otherwise). I don't know if we'd accept that offer, or if the logistics would work out. It would nice to have the option.

 

[scout86]

Something that really bothers me is all the stuff I'd like to do something about and can't figure out anything I can actually do. (There doesn't seem to be a way to start a GoFundMe campaign to buy weapons for Ukraine, for example.) And feeling like there's nothing I can do about stuff that appears to need fixing has always bothered me. I've come up with a small, pointless, "thing I can do". I bought some Canadian flag bumper stickers. I'm putting them on the car and the farm truck and trying to encourage like minded people to do the same. Doesn't actually DO anything, but it shows a bit of support for all those who are being attacked for incomprehensible reasons. (At least the reasons are incomprehensible to me.) And, maybe it makes not-like-minded people wonder where all that Canadian bumper stickers are coming from. LOL

 

[whiteraven]

Doesn't actually DO anything, but it shows a bit of support for all those who are being attacked for incomprehensible reasons.

I think showing support is sometimes the only thing we can do. I've made some calls, sent a letter to every member of Senate and House leadership, bought some stickers and t-shirts with slogans on them. I so want to do something big, but it might be lots of people doing little things that really helps.

 

[Freemartin]

Here in Finland people are gettin really nervous, too. We’re afraid once Russia’s done with Ukraine it’s gonna be knocking on our doors. Or kicking them in. A lot of people (me included) make escape plans.

Also, we too have the rise of far-right thing going on.

Every day I feel scared. And surreal. How did we get here? Really!